I hadn’t realized this was a series so eventually I’ll get to it but I’ll buy it. It’s going to be a while.

*Content Warning: Rape, described in full, from the rapist's point of view.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I could say I don't know what it is about this book that rubs me the wrong way, but that would be a lie. And it all starts with that content warning.

As a woman, maybe that makes me a little more sensitive to how the issue of rape is depicted and described. Maybe it makes me a lot more sensitive. Regardless, the way that sexual assault was depicted in this book gave me a very icky feeling inside.

Rape is obviously a very sensitive topic and should be approached as such, and I don't at all enjoy the way that the very first rape in the book was graphically described from the perpetrator's point of view. I have no doubt that the author thought this would be a creative way to go. I personally found it gross, and it made it difficult for me to get motivated to read past the first chapter.

Beyond this issue, the writing style is very utilitarian, very straightforward, and very much like a typical crime novel. I guess this just didn't do much for me, since I think a story that focuses on rape should focus more on the victim's emotions rather than just the male policeman and how the victim loves her new boyfriend. There is more to women than the men they know!

If the author was a man, maybe I would understand this odd approach to the story, but as a fellow woman, I'm a little disappointed. Sadly, this was just not the book for me.

Book Title: The Rose Reaper
Series: Ryan Strickland #2
Author: Jennifer Hunter
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: March 5, 2023
My Rating: 3 Stars!
Pages: 317

In “The Lost Victim” which was Book #1 in the Ryan Strickland series.
Psychologist Ryan Strickland is an, FBI consultant and has spent years looking for answers to his sister’s disappearance. He has built a reputation for getting reluctant victims to speak. A witness has been found who can identify an elusive serial killer whose crimes reach back decades. However, Olivia, the silent and scarred young woman Olivia is indeed reluctant to tell all.

In this story begins three years ago when Strickland helped Kate Doyle rebuilt her life after escaping being the seventh victim of a serial killer known as ‘the Rose Reaper’.
However, a copycat killer has emerged, targeting victims and leaves a single red rose as a warning which is the same as what serial killer the Rose Reaper did.
It was an okay thriller for me but not an enjoyable read. Actually choosing to read this after a story that featured an evil child abuser - wasn’t good timing on my part.

The age old question of - are bad-people born or made; might be an interesting book club discussion. In this case it was decided that one of the bad guys was made a monster and the other chose it.

I was curious about the author.
It appears Jennifer Hunter likes to explore the darker side of life.
She also has a softer side and writes suspenseful contemporary romances and women’s fiction as Jennifer Ryan.

Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 5, 2024.

This book definitely had an interesting plot and intrigue, I just felt like the execution was a little off for me. Also it can be read as a standalones but the references to book 1 sometimes confused me. I wish I would've known this prior to reading this one.

Can you see that extra pep in my step?

I have a pocketful of sunshine and my feet have yet to hit the floor since concluding the Rose Reaper.

My little black soul has been filled to the brim and i'm exploding with satisfaction.

I was completely stunned and caught off guard by the unforeseen twist in the plot.

During the books climax, my heart was racing, my pulse was pounding, and I found myself reeling, attempting to recollect any potential hints that could have led to that moment. I was genuinely impressed by the author's execution and have become an instant fan of Jennifer Hunter.

PS : I do want to give you a heads up, this is book 2 in the Ryan Strickland series. You can read this book as a standalone but why would you want to. Make sure to order yourself a copy of The Lost Victim.


Check out this banger of a teaser :

A serial killer on the hunt opens the door to a woman’s terrifying past in a pulse-pounding thriller by the author of The Lost Victim.

Three years ago, Kate Doyle escaped a serial killer who died at the hands of her rescuers. FBI consultant and psychologist Ryan Strickland helped Kate rebuild her life, and the case was closed on the Rose Reaper’s seven victims—the six who were killed and Kate, the one who got away.

Today, Kate has a good man in her life, a secure job, and hope. But her dreams for the future become a nightmare when a copycat killer starts hunting. One by one, with each new body, comes a gift for Kate: a single red rose. And then the warning: See you soon.

If clues to his identity are buried in Kate’s memories, Ryan can unearth them. As they dig into Kate’s traumatic past, they’d better work fast. Because someone is finishing what the Rose Reaper started—and he’s hell-bent on making sure that this time, the seventh victim doesn’t get away.

This was such a great concept in the thriller novel, it had a strong suspenseful read and the plot was perfect. The characters were everything that I wanted and enjoyed the idea of this. I loved the use of roses and how the copycat killer worked.

The Rose Reaper is part of the Ryan Strickland series but was easily read as a standalone since I have not read anything else by this author. Kate Doyle was meant to be the seventh victim of a serial killer when she escaped. Slowly she has rebuilt her life even finding love. But then the roses begin appearing, a foreboding of a body that will be found, killed just like the Rose Reaper’s murders. Ryan Strickland works with Kate to try and figure out who the new copycat killer is. Danger is coming for Kate again and she doesn’t know who she can trust. Twisted and suspenseful, the story while not totally unpredictable is a compelling thriller in which the pages fly by. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

Kate experienced something horrific that almost left her dead. Now three years later all she wants is to move on and enjoy her fresh start, but when mysterious roses begin to show up on her driveway she begins to think the nightmare just might not be over.

Thank you Netgalley, Jennifer Hunter, and Thomas & Mercer for my free ARC of The Rose Reaper in exchange for an honest review. While this story took a little time to really get into, I quite enjoyed it. I loved the characters Ryan and Kate. They were relateable and down to earth, which I appreciate. My least favorite part of this story was the portion told from the perspective of the antagonist. I found his to be obnioxious (but I guess that is sort of the point). I will admit it didn't take me very long to figure out the "bad guy." This was a bit of a bummer because I liked to be left guessing until the end. Overall, it was an easy read with a few plot twists. I would definitely read another book by this author just to follow the story of the character Ryan. Because I wasn't blown away, I give it 3 stars.

I read this book in a day and I never looked back! The twist and the plot were pretty easy to identify but the different POV's kept me intrigued to see how everything was going to unfold. A couple of the characters were so unlikable that it made it hard to feel bad or connect with them in any way. I do wish that the ending would've given a little more, I wanted to know how the characters dealt with the aftermath.


*I received a copy of this eARC via NetGalley*

Book 2 of a series. Can be read as a standalone. Very dark, and a bit twisted. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Second in the Ryan Strickland series. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but looking back now at Goodreads reviews, wow, a lot of people really hated it. Anyway, this one is also about a serial killer. Kate was the only surviving victim of the Rose Reaper three years previous, but now someone has started copycat murders and is taunting Kate that they are coming for her too. This wasn't as good as the first one. I'd still try this series at least one more time, though. 3 stars.

The Rose Reaper by Jennifer Hunter is the second book in the Ryan Strickland series. While this book can be read as a standalone there are references to the first book and case which can intrigue you - It was a good case so I'd recommend starting there. While this book had great plot & characters inconsistencies in how the case was investigated the first time around irked me a bit. Just because an alleged perp is dead, one witness'/victim statement is not reasons to stop digging deep into the investigation & go your own way for an organization like the FBI. However lacking in research, the plot is intense. While the characters were good there could have been more characters because I could tell who the Rose Reaper#2 was just by process of elimination. The characters also lacked depth in terms of history. Few characters from the first case were interviewed and there was no history there. It felt like they were being interviewed and talked to by the FBI for the first time. That is just plain absurd! Given such inconsistencies were a bit off-putting for me since details are very important to me. The story of Kate is the most compelling for me & I enjoyed her chapters. I really loved the first book in the series but this one felt a bit off!

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, Jennifer Hunter for the arc!

Does the Rose Reaper have a copycat out there? Or was the wrong man arrested? This psychological thriller keeps you guessing. Although I figured it out about 60% through, it was still an engaging story. I enjoyed the character development and was rooting for the good guys. This was the type of book that I wanted to finish quickly to find out if my prediction was right. Overall very entertaining.

The Rose Reaper by Jennifer Hunter is a dark and twisted ride. A serial killer on the hunt opens the door to a woman’s terrifying past in a pulse-pounding thriller. Three years ago, Kate Doyle escaped a serial killer who died at the hands of her rescuers. FBI consultant and psychologist Ryan Strickland helped Kate rebuild her life, and the case was closed on the Rose Reaper’s seven victims—the six who were killed and Kate, the one who got away.

Today, Kate has a good man in her life, a secure job, and hope. But her dreams for the future become a nightmare when a copycat killer starts hunting. One by one, with each new body, comes a gift for Kate: a single red rose. And then the warning: See you soon.

Content and trigger warning: the book does depict rape and has crude language.

The story is told from varying timelines. The story is compelling at the beginning and toward the end. The middle seemed to drag a bit for me, and I found myself skimming some of the content. I did like Kate and the stalking and story were scary. There were many suspects to choose from, and the characters were developed well and had good psychological twists to keep me guessing.

I would recommend this book.

#TheRoseReaper #NetGalley @AmazonPub

I devoured book one in this series and immediately dove into book two when I finished. This series is fantastic! It is dark and definitely chilling but also has a lot of heart. The author does a great job creating characters that readers can become invested in. I enjoyed book two and look forward to reading more from the author!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! The description and the prologue drew me in!

Kate Doyle escaped captivity from a man known as the Rose Reaper. Found by a couple driving down the street, police were called and the Rose Reaper was shot and killed. The story begins three years after the Rose Reapers death and Kate's escape. Another deranged man has taken up the mantle of the Rose Reaper and wants to finish what the original started, by killing Kate.

The story is told from multiple POVs and the chapters told from the mystery copycats POV are the most intriguing part of the story
For me, it did fizzle out and drag on a bit in the middle, during the investigation portion, but it still leaves the reader with enough guessing and questions to still stay interesting and want to continue. There's multiple suspects and evidence that points everywhere so the final reveal is a decent twist.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4! It's definitely a solid mystery!

I loved everything about this book. It had strong serial killer vibes and the plot was quick and tight and kept you guessing till the end much like a Criminal minds episode.
Thanks for letting me review the book to Netgalley and the publisher

I absolutely loved this book! It had me gripped from the beginning! I loved the serial killer vibes and the change in suspects along the way to keep you guessing! I have already downloaded the first book in this series and this is fast becoming a favourite author! I gave this book 4 stars only because it just needs the POV name at the top of the chapter so you can see the POV more clearly but that is a personal choice! The story and characters were amazing - this is really well written! I would definitely recommend this book when it is released!

TW: Sexual Assault

Wow! Loved everything about this book.
Strong characters and great story line.

Even though I figured out who the killer was it was still a perfect ending.

I didn’t read the first book in this series but it really didn’t make too much of a difference. It was very easy to follow.

This was a super fast paced, edge of your seat, heart stopping thrill ride. Fair warning to prospective readers.. there are some very very graphic sexual assault scenes. This book was no hold barred, violent, dark and gritty. With resilient characters that are well written and make the book come to life. Unputdownable! This will have you needing to read till the end just to know if the world is a safe place once again.